Oasis for YA

I was searching for something to inspire this post on sanctuary, and I came across this image-inspired poem, called Waterfall, by Silvia Hartmann.  And it spoke to me.

Hold on tight now, my sweet.

   

Perhaps you can place rocks into the stream

and slow it's progress?

  

Ah well of course, there's little hope of that.

   

You can break it up a little or a lot

(and I'm sure that salty scientists with

counters and machines would tell me that

the water round the rocks is slower than the

water that was not obstructed in this way)

but you know,

if I was the sea,

I really would not be concerned

at all.

Which made me think, in a metaphorical way, we are all the sea.  Sure, there will be rocks in the stream  - like a recent flat tire that made me miss my weekly writing time, or the dream agent who doesn't appreciate anachronism - but the water keeps moving forward.  Sometimes it rushes and rages; other times it slows to barely more than a trickle.

But the water -- our stories -- keep moving forward.  And eventually, if we keep at this long enough, hone our skills enough, persist, and never give up the dream, our stories will meet us at the ocean.

So on days when you're stressing (as I often do), that things aren't moving quickly enough - queries aren't be answered, chapters aren't be written, ideas aren't flowing or betas aren't returning pages at lightening pace - take a deep breath and slow down.  Let the moments float around you like a gentle river and know that what you're doing is worthwhile.  Because sooner or later, the river meets the ocean, and all will work out as it was meant to.